A pioneering program on "social franchising" is being pursued by the Philippine Agricultural Development and Commercial Corp. (PADCC) to expand markets of all-Filipino processed agricultural products.

A program that will bring superior but generally unknown processed agricultural products in the market, PADCC's franchising program may start in October as the company is now finalizing details of the business offer.

It will bring to the market highly in-demand products that are becoming popular in both the local and international markets like wellness goods such as malunggay tablets and Halal goat's milk used as soap, lotion, and moisturizers.

PADCC Agribusiness Exports Showroom Chief Minky M. Alba said that more than the profit, PADCC, an attached corporation of the Department of Agriculture (DA), the franchising is really to help make Filipino products more visible.

It will increase their markets and help plow back the revenue to farmers' production in the rural areas.

"This is not just franchising. It's social franchising. Our profit here is just two-three percent. But the vision of (DA) Sec.(Arthur) Yap here is to create presence for the products, not only for export but for the domestic market, so people will become aware of them," she said in an interview.

With the global financial crisis, the franchising system is apparently a timing intervention in helping market Filipino products and in livelihood creation.

By MELODY M. AGUIBA

Source:mb.com.ph